The encyclopedia of psychological trauma / edited by Gilbert Reyes, Jon D. Elhai, Julian D. Ford.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The Encyclopedia of Psychological Trauma is the only authoritative reference on the scientific evidence, clinical practice guidelines, and social issues addressed within the field of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder. Edited by the leading experts in the field, you will turn to this definitive reference work again and again for complete coverage of psychological trauma, PTSD, evidence-based and standard treatments, as well as controversial topics including EMDR, virtual reality therapy, and much more.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

School shootings, mass killings in shopping malls, and innumerable deaths from hurricanes and other natural disasters fill our news broadcasts. These events create great emotional stress for those still living. As a result, psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have become important areas of research in the discipline of psychology. In simple, nontechnical language, this resource outlines the nature and description of psychological trauma, its impact and sociopolitical effects, its prevention and treatment, current research, professional organizations, and government policies. Each entry ranges from three to five pages and contains a useful list of references to journal articles, books, or web sites. The volume allows systematic access to topics through its alphabetic arrangement and an excellent subject and author index. The volume also uses See and See also references to guide readers to additional information. Each article is signed, and most are the collaborative efforts of well-known academics and clinicians in the field. The entire encyclopedia was also reviewed by an editorial board. Reyes, the primary editor, is an expert in disaster psychology and has written numerous scholarly publications in the field. It is unfortunate that several black-and-white illustrations used for some biological entries are rather fuzzy; a schematic or color diagram would have been a better alternative. BOTTOM LINE Although other excellent sourcebooks on psychological trauma, such as Handbook of PTSD: Science and Practice (Guilford, 2007), are on the market, none of these is organized as well as The Encyclopedia of Psychological Trauma. This single-volume work, therefore, fills an important research gap and will prove valuable to students, clinicians, educators, policy makers, and other interested persons. Highly recommended. [At present, available in print only; excerpts from the book may be read on the publisher's web site.]-Hazel Cameron, Overlake Hosp. Lib., Bellevue, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

This encyclopedia is a timely, comprehensive addition to the literature on traumatic stress. It is edited by traumatic stress experts Reyes (Fielding Graduate Univ.), Elhai (Univ. of South Dakota), and Ford (Univ. of Connecticut School of Medicine), assisted by a sophisticated and seasoned editorial board comprising pioneers in the largest subfields of psychological stress: adjustment and sequelae; adult intervention services; assessment and diagnosis; biological processes; cognitive and emotional processes; cultural and international aspects; developmental aspects and interventions for children; effects on communities; psychological trauma as a discipline; and risk and resilience factors. This volume features contributions by more than 250 experts in the field of psychological trauma. Each entry is clearly written and grounded in relevant and current research. Contributors acknowledge areas that are ripe for new research and current controversies within the study of trauma. The entries provide reasonable summaries of various perspectives, and many suggest further reading. Entries are arranged alphabetically, and cross-references redirect readers appropriately. Subheadings within the specific chapters also help organize the entries and guide readers to subtopics of interest. This work will serve as a clear, useful reference for those in the field of traumatic stress studies. Comprehensive subject/author index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. A. N. Douglas Mount Holyoke College